Being Selfish is Hard Work

I'm selfish.  There's no doubt about it.  Why do I train?  To show off what kind of an athlete I am.  Why do I work hard at something that my body was not bred to do?  Because I want to win.  I want to win big.  I want the world to fear me, I want the world to know my name.  I want Sevan to come to my house and interview me, tape a workout and maybe get a trip out to California.  I want to be featured in the journal.  I want my picture on the main page.  You're selfish too.

Why do you train?  If not for the same reasons, then what?  To look good?  "Yes, I want the sex of interest to take notice of me and to find me attractive enough to take me home for at least an ONS."  You want to be healthy?  Basically, you're saying that nobody and no food product will stand in your way of living a longer life than the Twinkie says you will.  It's what you want, not a given right.    

Working out is, in and of itself, a very selfish activity.  But who cares?  Being selfish is a good thing.  Being selfish got you through college, being selfish got you a promotion, being selfish is human nature.  I want you to be selfish.  Figure out your reasons for doing a certain activity and stop at nothing to hit a goal that you set for yourself.  Maybe you want to win the Crossfit Games in July, 2009 (mine) or you want the best looking yard on your block, or maybe you just want to finish a workout without throwing up.  I say don't let anything stand in your way of what you feel is yours.  It's going to take hard work, you will have to earn it.  It will take sweat, tears and maybe even some blood to get what you want but it will be worth every last drop.  Being selfish is a good thing.

Still Funny!

Rabbit of Seville, featuring Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd (1950) @ Yahoo! Video

Bugs Bunny was/is/will always be the greatest

Cert

I've never been certified to do much.  Sure, I'm a certified life guard, but all that really allows me to do is sun bathe and twirl a whistle.  There are a couple of Crossfit certifications that people I can safely say are friends of mine are attending this weekend.  They are specialty certs too, a kettlebell cert in VA and a Barbell cert with great one, Mark Rippetoe.  I'm a bit jealous.  I knew about them in time, I had ample opportunity and really nothing to do this weekend, but I'm saving for a wedding and a house and life in general and feel that I can hold out getting a piece of paper saying that I have a proficient squat or KB Snatch.  

But what's the point anyway.  I'm not coaching crossfit.  I'm an athlete.  There seems to be this notion that only people that are certified are worthwhile athletes in the Crossfit world.  Where did this notion come from?  Michael Phelps doesn't have his Level 2 swim coaches certification, I do, but that certainly doesn't make me a better swimmer, nor does it necessarily mean that I'm a better coach.  The cult of Crossfit pushes hard for everybody to get certified.  It's fun, it's really "ra-ra" and it makes the Glassman's hordes of cash.  I'd promote it too.  I'm sure they're really educational.  But so is the internet, so are books.  

My worth as an athlete is not tied into paying into the Greg Glassman retirement fund.  If I go to a cert it will be because I want to own and operate a gym some day.  I can go to seminar's that will hit the specific skills that I want to become proficient in such as Greg Everett's weight lifting seminar, which costs far less than a certification but still lends itself to the same expertise and knowledge.  

It's my money and when I dominate at the games, it'll show everybody that getting certified is not mutually linked to athleticism.

TV Time

I've been watching a lot of bad TV.  This happens when engaged, or so I hear.  I've seen Grey's Anatomy this week, as well as Biggest Loser, Intervention...  I'm excited for good TV again, and by good TV I mean the Mets.  I mean the sweet sounds of Gary, Keith and Ron.  I mean figuring out what's coming next from the pitcher, figuring out weaknesses, strengths and wishing that I worked for the organization so that I could somehow be involved in making the team, players, game better.  

This is how I feel about Crossfit and oly lifting.  I used to do bad workouts.  I used to do lat pull downs, the pec deck, leg extensions; that was my bad TV.  Crossfit is my good TV.  Greg Glassman, Mike Burgener, Robb Wolf and Greg Everett are my announcers and some day I hope to be able to change crossfit, make it better and show the world what the human body is capable of.  I've analyzed the big hitters strengths and weaknesses.  Khalipa: bodyweight exercises.  Speal: Heavy stuff because of his size.  Everett: swallow hard because he's probably going to beat you.

The important thing about crossfit is what the future holds.  We don't know where this is headed.  It wasn't that long ago that a sub 3minute Fran earned you the right of fitness God.  Now, people hit sub2 fairly regularly.  The standards have changed.  135 is the new 95 and 225 is the new 135.  Chest to bar pullups are standard and nothing less than ATA will suffice for your squats.  The bar has been raised, the ante upped.  Whichever cliche you prefer, the athletes, yet to be discovered, will no doubt, be helped by these new standards and possibly change the way we see the human body; as a machine, as a powerful engine that can be used to accomplish anything.

However, what happens when the Glassman's pass on.  It's sort of depressing to think about.  Greg, easily, is one of the most charismatic people around.  He is well spoken, endearing and most importantly, a great spokesman.  Will people surfing the internet, looking for a way to workout pass over crossfit because it's fearless leader is gone and there will be far fewer cert videos of him to go around?

I doubt it.  The product will remain the same.  The trainers of tomorrow are sitting in my fiancee's classroom.  Crossfit is an amazing product and now a strong brand name.  The cream always rises to the top and stays there.  This is why Private Practice is going to fail miserably; the acting is terrible, the plot lines absurd and the star of the show is unlikable and a no-talent ass bag.  Crossfit, is like the Mets broadcast.  It has it's leadership (Gary/Greg), it has it's inside information (Ron, Ketih/Rip, Burg) and it's comedy relief (Kevin/Sevan).  There will be enough time for Crossfit to evolve and grow and become the fitness jugernat that it's supposed to be, it will not be cancelled or moved to Friday night.  Crossfit is prime time.  

Now, if somebody wants to help me compare Crossfit to Always Sunny in Philadelphia, I'm all ears.  I'm thinking Speal is the Danny DeVito, but that could just be a height thing.

UConn

I got roped in.  That happens to me frequently but this time I'm a little PO'd.  I'm seeing UConn play basketball in the tournament.  When I was asked if I wanted to go, I said "Sure!"  I was excited.  I would root hard for the 16 seed underdog, annoy a couple of fans and be on my merry way.  I didn't ask where this game was, I just assumed it was in Philly.  But it's not, it's in Hartford.  A much closer drive than Philadelphia but that also means I'm seeing the women's tourney.  WTF.  Now, I'm all for women's sports, I feel that having college and pro sports for women is a great thing.  I support them, I'll donate money to their programs, especially UVM's, but I won't watch their games.  It's because I look for quality in my sports.  The same reason I get fed up when Luis Castillo botches an easy grounder because his belly gets in the way, the same reason I enjoy pro vs. college sports, is why I enjoy men's over women's sports any day.  My brother and I have a running joke that the WNBA All-Star Break should have a layup contest.  

So, here I sit, awake at 8 on a Sunday after drinking a minimum of a bottle of wine getting ready for the UCONN vs. UVM women's basketball opening round.  WOW.  Somebody nail my big toe to the floor boards.  This is going to be a rout, it's going to be ugly.  I'm going to watch airballs, and slow breaks, and poorly executed fundamentals.  FANTASTIC.  But here I go, to root for my alma mater (which is the only thing making this almost worthwhile).  SUPER.

Kill Da Wabbit

I do love a good Saturday morning cartoon.  It takes me back, just a couple of years, but it reminds me of the times when cartoons were funny and worth watching.  It's amazing then, that our kids (not mine, I don't have any) keep getting fatter and fatter.  You would assume, bad TV would cause a reaction that would force people to do active things, rather than sit in front of the tube and chow down on Cheetos.  I understand watching sports, the plot is always different.  But watching shows like Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice leaves a bad taste in mouth because I've seen that plot line before, in General Hospital, or North by Northwest, or sometimes even Mash.  Nothing on TV, sans Sports (AKA the Mets and NCAA Tourney; rock on KU) is worth watching, so if you're reading this and you have the tube on.  Get off your ass, eat some meat and play outside.  Play some touch football with buddies.  They may look at you funny for suggesting it, but use your powers of persuasion and afterward, 9 times out of 10, they'll ask when they're going to do it next.  Dodgeball, kickball, having a catch, hiking and even arm wrestling are a nice way to get up and do something not by yourself.  It may seem like I'm being contradictory, writing in my basement, alone, but I just got back from a great group workout, am going out to breakfast with my fiancee, am going to help my neighbor get ready for softball season by tossing the ball around, maybe even a little BP if I can find my tarp and have late night plans, none of which involve the boob tube.  Beat that Fatty!

Abs of Ouch

Let me get this out of the way.  I don't do abs too often.  Sure, sometimes I'll sprinkle in some GHD Situps or some KTE's, but for the most part squatting and pulling do what are needed.  I've got a pretty healthy dose of 6pack going.  

Today though, my abs are more sore than they have been in a really long time.  It should be noted that I've done a total of 20 reps that could be considered "ab exercises" in the past two days.  That's 10 GHD Situps and 10 KTE's.  However, I just got done with a little bit of fun I like to call, "How High Can Eric Jump?"  The answer: 60".  A couple of times.  I may have been able to get a little bit higher but I was a wimp and just took a couple of jumps there.  But due to the violent extension (to get up) and contraction (to get my feet high enough to land) my mid section is giving me a big ol' middle finger.  I guess that'll happen, but now it hurts to laugh, stand up straight, goof off with Carlee, even eat ice cream (scooping takes more abs than you realize).  This could be an issue tomorrow, but oh well, 60" was worth it.

Long Road Home

As mentioned in an earlier post, I'm heading home.  Sure it's to do taxes, but I'm going to see my family.  This is an especially good time because my brother is coming home for spring break as well.  It will be the first time since Christmas that we've all been together.  That may not seem like a very long time until you consider a) I lived at home from November '07 through August of '08 and b) I'm 23 years old and still have a fear of using my parents as a crutch.  They wouldn't mind helping me out, I'm their first born, but I would never want to burden them especially in this economy.  This is visit is also monumental in that my bro (Bryan, by the way) is bringing his girlfriend Rachel over.  They go to school together and from what I hear (I haven't met her... yet) is nothing short of a really sweet girl.  I hope Carlee and Rachel get along.  Jon, the youngest, may feel left out seeing as that he might or might not have broken up with his girlfriend Lila.  

Which brings me to my point.  Carlee, an only child and as far as I can tell 100% female, feels that as the oldest brother it is my duty to instruct Jon on how to cope with a break up.  She believes that is my responsibility to tell him that "there are plenty of fish in the sea" or to ask questions about the break up.  But frankly, I don't care.  He's a sophomore in high school, he's good looking, smart, funny and talented.  He'll be fine.  He knows he'll be fine.  I don't know if he broke up with her or vice versa but it's not that important.  I'm afraid that she'll ask him a lot of probing questions and it'll get out of hand.  If she wants him to like her (she has this fear that my family doesn't like her, which is untrue, which is based on the fact that Carlee visits my house maybe once or twice a year because she's "busy")  she better not ask him dumb questions that a brother won't ask.  I didn't ask Bryan how he felt when he stopped seeing Charlotte or that other girl whose sister was in my grade and he turned out fine.  It's not something that brothers do.  If he's devastated, I'll know and then I will intervene, but until then, he's on his own.  Consider this paving the road towards manhood.  By not asking him questions, by not bringing her up and going out to have a catch with him (an activity ranked in my top 10 most manly things to do) I am, in my mind, and I believe in the minds of most brothers, assisting him in life.  Here's the lesson to all females, don't get involved in your significant other's brother's business.  It's not in your best interest.  If the person you are involved with is unconcerned then you ought not either.  If he is, still, avoid it.  It's not your place, it's his (mine) and he (I) will deal with it if it seems necessary.

Training: Filthy 50 19:45... not my best, but not bad.  Could've worked faster on the burpees, the double unders were atrocious (I have to get over the fear of not using my own jump rope) and the KTE's were slower than anticipated.  I'm really looking forward to a rest day.

Everybody's Workin' for the Weekend

That's right, it's Friday.  Boom-shaka-laka!  Here come two straight days of no Sikorsky Aircraft, no Joe "I want the parts in my hand" Gagliano and no Jim "I'm going to take credit for all of your hard work and hold this green badge over you" Spataj and no talking to my good buddy Mike from TIG up in Berlin, CT.  This week has been something of a crapper at work.  SAC keeps messing things up and it becomes up to me to sweep up the mess.  I'm ok with this when it happens once in a while.  That's basically why I was hired anyway, but it was to clean up the vendors messes, not Sikorsky's.  My work day has no started to revolve around getting people in my own company to get off their asses and actually do work, which is funny, because I'm a contract employee who, literally, has no authority over anybody in the company.  

Today is also a rest day, but I'm about as sharp as a marble and decided not to rest, despite the mountains of evidence suggesting that recovery is as important as the actual work put in at the gym.  Oh well, I'll eat a lot this weekend and hopefully will catch up that way.  "Jackie" was the workout of choice at the Power Barn.  1000meter row, followed by 50 thrusters and 30 pullups.  Not my personal favorite, but a doozy that left me a little bit on the light headed side.  I'll probably regret that tomorrow, whatever that workout ends up being.

In personal news, I'm heading to see my parents on Saturday.  This would be a great weekend if not for the fact that I'm going to do taxes with my mom.  My brother, however, is coming home from KU today with his girlfriend Rachel so that's exciting.  I think my fiancee and her will get along really well and probably make fun of the two of us as we watch the Mets spring training games and discuss, at length, the merits of letting Endy Chavez go, Luis Castillo's spot in the batting order and the prospects for the fifth starter roll.  IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT!!!

HAPPY LIFTING AND A HAPPY WEEKEND

A job well Done, A Break Week Earned

I couldn't be happier with how Saturday went.  Well, maybe with my own numbers (205, 265), but everybody there did such a great job hitting so many PR's that I believe that it was a great event to hold.  I hope that the Power Barn and Crossfit Watertown get back together again soon.  

In training news, this week is something of a "Cool Down" Week.  So far, there haven't been many heavy lifts.  Today, for instance, 5 triples of front squats at 245, 5 triples of back squats at 275 and 5x5 push press which I took a little bit lighter (155) than I normally would.  Because lifting has been on the lighter side, it allows me to do things that I normally wouldn't.  For instance, bench press yesterday or an especially brutal metcon today.  

Overall, not too much to report except that I'm feeling good, eating fine and still not getting enough sleep.  Job security is minimal (I just love being a contract employee) and I'm not too sure that I'm that upset about it.  

Because I love you guys (girls??? anybody???) here's a nice article on how to incorporate the Olympic lifts with Crossfit

The Day

Today's the day.  I've got big weights to move (for me).  I can't believe that I am a little bit nervous about this.  I shouldn't be.  Nothing about this is official, it's one test on the road to hopefully becoming the fittest man on the planet (Wow, that's lofty) and, frankly, I'd be surprised if anybody going today, let alone my weight class, can beat me.  That being said, I'm going to open kind of light, just to make sure that I get numbers on the board.  I don't want to be the person with a big old donut next to my name for the lifts.  I'll open snatch with 205# and CJ with 245#.  Depending on how I feel, I'm still pretty exhausted from Thursday's metcon, I'll move up accordingly.  Like I've said in this space before, I'm not expecting a PR (although i wouldn't complain if it happened) I just want to move some weight, raise some eyebrows and throw my hat into the ring as a potential to make noise in Albany and possibly Aromas in the summer.

On a lighter note... Carlee eventually wants kids.  I do to, but after watching this, I'm not so sure.

Lifting Comp Tomorrow

Fools at CF Watertown are talkin' smack.  That'll happen.  Apparently I'm a floppy eared puppy.  HA.  Anyways, my girl's at a "Boot Camp Party" now and going out to breakfast and shopping with her mom tomorrow too so that leaves me with nothing else to think about except lifting enough weight that the foundation at CFW shakes.  Boom-shaka-laka!  

The most important part of a successful lift is the starting position, the first pull, which should flow seamlessly into the second.  That's the whole goal.  Luckily, there are an abundance of resources regarding the lifts in general, so I thought that I'd share them with you, my faithful readers.

The Starting Position (via)

(way to go Melanie Roach)

Also, some motivational videos...

and...

Lifting at Lunch (video)

Links

Yummy

Born to Survive

Breakfast of Champions

Weightlifting is good for your psyche

Feel the Power

Breakfast this morning...

1/2 pound ground bison browned, mixed with 4 scrambled eggs and a very tall glass of milk

Lunch, packed for later...

2 Chicken breasts and a salad

Dinner...?

Active Recovery

Just what I need.  There's a mini competition this Saturday at the PowerBarn.  Two lifts, Snatch and Clean and Jerk, highest weight within your weight class wins.  I have semi high hopes.  While I don't expect to have any PR's (although that'd be nice) I do want to win.  I won't taper down, that doesn't make sense, especially since this really just a strength litmus test towards the Crossfit Games qualifier.  

Nothing lifted today was over 80% of my power max.  There was a little bit extra core work but heavy weights were pushed to the side.  While frusterating to look over at other people squatting 400+ pounds and DLing around 600, stuck at snatching and OHS 175, knowing that you feel good to do better, it is VERY important to keep it all in perspective and be smart about the long term goals.

Anyway...  Today felt good, and while annoying, was a good thing for me to do.  That's the long and short of it.  I just wish I hadn't had two bowls of ice cream after dinner.  Probably not the best idea, but whatever, it's junior mint.  Like Kramer says, "it's refreshing."

Also, I couldn't be more proud of these women if they were lifting heavy.  It's never too late to find your inner athlete.

We Can Rebuild Him...

Rest will cure what ails ya.  That's for darn sure.  While today wasn't an especially heavy day, I hit all of my numbers the first time with minimal warmup.  That feels good.  There's nothing like going into something, getting your shit done and leaving fulfilled and NOT pissed off about effort.

In other issues, I've been trying to eat really well.  Only the organic, grass fed beef and other delicious meats.  It's way better than my cheap meat.  For instance, in the morning's I've been eating ground bison with my eggs and it makes a world of difference.  For one, it's a fairly fatty meat so it keeps me full and helps me recover and two, it's friggin' delicious.  Oh my lord I could just shovel this into my masticator raw.  WOW!